Evaluating perceptions of sexual coercion: the role of personality, gender, and motive in birth control sabotage

ABSTRACT Public attitudes are considered influential in terms of determining criminal justice responses to offending behaviour, however, research into sexual coercion and specifically Birth Control Sabotage (BCS) has received little attention. The aim of this study was to explore the influence of dark triad traits, gender, and motive on perceptions of BCS. Participants (N = 273) were recruited from a general population sample. All participants completed the Short Dark Triad (SD3) and read four vignettes relating to BCS, where perpetrator gender and function of sabotage (motive) were manipulated. Participants responded to these vignettes on a scale examining victim blame, criminality and victim impact. The results are discussed with reference to previous research exploring victim blame in other aspects of non-consensual sexual behaviour. As one of the first studies in this area, possible real-world implications and future directions are discussed in terms of jury decision making and victim support. PRACTICE IMPACT STATEMENT This article assists professionals in developing educational strategies and policies for how police and the legal system approach birth control sabotage and reproductive autonomy by explaining how attributing responsibility to victims and perpetrators and the need for police intervention is related to gender, intent and perceptions of affirmative consent.